"Ani...you stop that!" Padme laughed, putting her hands up to cover the spray of water. He smiled wider and splashed her, just a little higher, this time above the waist. He had that look, she noticed.

"Oh, no..." she said, getting up. His grin was mischievous; it was on. "You won't get me this time." she said, and darted down the beach. Even though he could have caught up, he trailed a step or two behind, letting her give chase. They ran in circles, alternating between water and horseplay, before coming to sit on the sand to catch their breath.

"Truce," he said, winded.

She smiled before getting one last splash in.

"Hey..." he said, before she giggled and put up her hands in a peace gesture. They both settled down against each other before looking at the moonscape near the beach.

They were in the holoroom and had chosen something a little different, more exotic, for their latest venture. Purely a figment of imagination, the beach stretched on almost indefinitely to a peninsula with palm trees in the far distance, and had a night sky with stars and planets; planets probably too close to be real in any other planetary system, Padme thought.

This looks just like a painting, she thought, so nice to imagine. It was, after all, their honeymoon. Padme still marveled at the technology that allowed one to create something that looked, smelled, and seemed so real. She could still feel wet from the water and grains from the sand in her palms, elements that didn't truly exist outside.

She and Ani laid down and looked up at the starry sky, faces close but their bodies facing opposite directions. During more whimsical moments they would do this and talk, at other times just think quietly. Their conversation drifted to the more philosophical; she spoke about what she had always wanted growing up and her inherent desire to help others.

Vader listened to her and something in him stirred, remembering when he grew up with Shmi; he had also promised to go back and free the slaves. In a sense Tatooine had been the most peaceful time in his life. He and his mother were slaves, but day to day he would work and build things, that gave him a sense of satisfaction. He still had his entire life ahead of him. And Watto had never really been that bad; impatient, rude at times, but never cruel. Anakin and his mother were close, and always looked out for each other. That was a long, long time ago but he still felt an ache in his heart thinking about it; he would never stop missing his mother.

Padme was so like she was the first time, he thought, a humanitarian. But he had long ago given up any right or obligation to help others; in this way he felt inferior to her. He had always wanted to make his mother proud of him, but he couldn't let himself think of it now, not after all he had done. He couldn't go back to the way things were even if he wanted to.

She noticed his silence and wondered if something was troubling him. She tilted her head closer to his but said nothing.

Ani wanted her to know his true feelings, feelings he couldn't even admit to himself until recently. He had never truly wanted the acquisition of power, he'd wanted to be with those he loved; until recently fate had been tearing him from it. It seemed someone always needed something from him. Battle felt good, even natural, but like pod racing it was the adrenaline rush he sought. When he had lost his mother, his friend, and then his wife, fighting was all he had. It had fueled his anger-driven existence for over half his lifetime, and in the grand scheme of things he was lonely, and used.

To his dismay he realized that becoming Sith never really gave him the freedom he sought, only and restless and continuing hunger. He was powerful, and able to offer Padme his love and possessions, but they were still in need of protection, and hiding in a sense. Always hiding.

There was no reason to be hesitant, he thought; she would not judge him in this moment of vulnerability.

"I wish I could return to simpler things" he said.

"What do you mean?" Padme asked.

"You...my mother...sometimes I wish I wouldn't have acquired any of this. I never really wanted to be Sith, or Jedi. If I could go back to a normal life with my family, I would."

Padme felt a lump in her throat, realizing that she wanted the very same for him. The galaxy knew him as a Sith Lord; but the truth, at least partially, was that he was a victim of fate. She recalled what she could from what he was saying...when he had called her his angel...his life as a slave on Tatooine...meeting him in Watto's store...

Watto.

Padme sat up abruptly and it took Anakin a moment to notice.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Padme slowly brought her fingers to her mouth as a small damn of recollection broke and intermittent memories returned.

Are you an angel?

What?

An angel...I hear pilots talk about them...they say they are the most beautiful creatures in the universe...

You're a very silly little boy...

"That's where we met." Padme looked at him. There was nothing wrong, she thought, just the opposite.

"What?" he said, confused.

"Watto."

Now Anakin sat up. "What did you say?"

Padme smiled, her voice was near a whisper. "Watto's store...that's where we met. You asked if I was an angel..."

He looked at her incredulously. If there had been any doubt that Padme's spirit was in her, it vanished now. He drew her in his embrace as she let it come back to her.

"Yes." Anakin said. He felt good for himself, but better for her; she was regaining part of her identity. He smiled, remembering. "I heard pilots talk about them...they were from the moons..."

"...of Iego" she finished his sentence.

Vader marveled at her memory. No, he corrected himself, not just her recollections. Her latent force sensitivity. Why hadn't he noticed it before? He thought when they were married the first time that he could reach out to her through the Force because of his Force prowess, or perhaps because she was carrying a Force sensitive child. But she had been skilled with the blaster, more than one would have expected from a senator, and was highly attuned now to piloting craft. A thought occurred to him.

"Come on," he said suddenly, taking her hand. "I have something to show you."

Padme slowly got up, letting any and all memories she could come back to her. It was limited in scope, but welcome. She felt hopeful; she knew that more would come later.

This was just a beginning.

Vader brought her to a room she had not been since before they both knew the true nature of their relationship, the same one where she'd been wounded by droids. She looked at him skeptically. What were they doing here? He'd pleaded with her since not to wander off or at least take an escort droid for her protection.

With a wave of his hand, the door opened and he went to program the controls. Suddenly a vast blue-grey aura, similar to a fog, appeared. It was peaceful, though Ami didn't understand the purpose of it. Vader came over to her.

"Until you understand, just don't adjust the controls.." He smiled nervously and added, "I would hate to have another incident between you and battle droids."

She nodded and, following his lead, sat down with her legs crossed. Quietly, he placed himself behind her, almost as a guide. She could feel his warm breath near her ear and his hands moving down her forearms; her eyes closed involuntarily and she exhaled.

"What are we doing here?" she asked.

He was silent for a moment and looked around, "I come here to meditate. It gives me focus and strengthens my powers and abilities. I become more in tune with the Force."

She understood; he was going to show her. Hesitantly, she looked back at him.

"Don't worry," he said, seeing her discomfort, "You won't draw on the Dark Side; it's just basic meditation" The focus of dark power had been his reprieve in the Sith and his connection to the Force, but he respected her boundaries and wouldn't go there.

"Close your eyes," he said softly, and began to guide her through steps of meditation she was unfamiliar with. She was tense at first, but felt herself going lower and lower, deeper within, until at last she relaxed. She thought she could even sense her own energy field; she was completely at ease with the ebb and flow of her body and that around it. Ani's peaceful voice seemed to drift further away although it was still there, guiding her.

Padme wouldn't have minded staying this way for a long time, somewhere between the demands of real life and the netherworld of the Force. She wished she had known about this before. All of a sudden, something flashed before her. An image. Was it...her apartment...on Coruscant? Then another. Padme sat at her vanity, holding a padawan braid. She placed it fondly in a box next to the japor pendant, the simultaneous pride in her husband and ache of missing him weighing down her heart; it was during the Clone Wars.

There was no explanation needed for these memories; she understood them immediately. They began to come faster and faster, intense but not unwelcome. She felt dizzy.

"Padme...Padme...come back...can you hear me..."

She shook her head slowly; it felt so heavy and didn't want to move. When her eyes opened, the blue-green haze of the room come back into focus. Warm arms were holding her; she felt his concern.

"You were relaxed at first," Vader said, "But then your breathing became shallow and I had to draw you back. What happened?"

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'm alright, Ani." she said softly, then smiled.

"I'm remembering."

In the weeks that followed Padme was able, with Vader's help, to meditate more effectively, until she reached the point at which she led herself. She learned that there were certain levels to meditation and ways in which to control the duration and intensity. Some individuals, he explained, could stay in the meditative state for days or longer. With her ability to control the depth of meditation, Padme recalled memories at a rate she felt comfortable with; she pulled herself in and out at will.

Though Padme used meditation to relax, but it was rare she meditated when she did not recall something. Some memories were of great significance or broad in spectrum, such as her role in the Battle of Geonosis. Some were smaller and inconsequential, such as the names of her beloved handmaidens.

All were important to her.

Ami no longer had to wait for her dreams to regain that long forgotten part of herself, and realized that the more in tune she became with her former life through the Force, the less daunted she was by the prospect of being a clone.

There was no need to be threatened by the idea of Padme Skywalker when she could own and embrace it.

When Vader was called away on smaller missions, they ranged from one to a few days in duration. Padme enjoyed her living situation, but began to think about the outdoors and what the general population might be doing; she felt not exactly sad but disconnected from them. It had been so long since she'd interacted with others. Though her needs were met and her heart full, Padme wondered what lay in her future.

Vader sensed her restlessness; the same thoughts had been on his mind for some time. She was his wife, but not his possession. He had given her the means to travel and protection of Commander Hur, but the world as she knew it was still relatively limited, especially while he was away.

He was not surprised the day he was preparing to leave on a mission that she approached him about outside travel.

"Would it make you uncomfortable if I traveled about Bespin?" Padme asked hesitantly. She looked at him and could plainly see the answer in his face; he tried to be understanding but pressure was part of his life and she didn't wish to add to it.

Vader sighed. "It would be better if additional measures were taken."

"What do you mean?"

"You told me about your handmaidens...Dorme, Sabe...how you remembered them..."

"Yes..." she said slowly; she knew where this was going.

"You should have a similar structure of protection if you travel about the city.."

"Anakin, I'm no senator. This really isn't necessary."

"Maybe not a senator, but a Sith Lady." he said.

The look on her face told him the title bothered her; he rephrased. "You're in a high-profile position, that's all I mean...would you just consider it?"

"What are you thinking?" she was exasperated. "An entourage...that may draw more attention than the protection affords."

"Padme." he sighed, " Three handmaidens."

"None are needed." she maintained.

"Two."

"One." That was as far as Padme would go with this; she wondered if they would be working for her against their will but quickly pushed the thought out of her mind.

Vader rubbed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. "Fine. One...but promise me you will take her with you and allow her to do her duty in protecting you." He glanced at her, then smiled. "You always were stubborn on those issues; it gave your security detail terrible heartburn."

Padme had to laugh at his last comment but agreed. All things considered, she didn't wish to send him off distressed; she could only imagine the outside pressures he faced.

Jael Aderes led a relatively simple life in the Republic of Bespin. The second daughter of a close knit family, she wasn't extremely privileged but certainly not impoverished, either. Her parents ensured that she attended the best schools and at some point she had even received self-defense and weapons training. Of all things, stability was a staple of her life. A library historian, quiet in nature, Jael had always steered clear from trouble or controversy and anticipated marriage and settling down in the years to come.

Her vision of the future changed one day when she was approached about duty for the Empire. She held the small piece of paper, noticing it shook before realizing that the tremors originated from her own hand. The details were scarce but still perfectly clear to her...protection for a dignitary...discretion imperative...Lord Vader...

When Jael read the last name, she involuntarily broke out in a cold sweat. She was sure everyone in the galaxy had a similar reaction, but she wasn't everyone in the galaxy.

This was happening to her.

The summons Jael had been given was paramount to a military draft; she knew she had no choice. And when she said goodbye to her family to begin her duty, Jael didn't know if she would ever see them again.

Padme was in the palace on Vjun when the girl arrived. Seated in the settee near the lounge, Commander Hur led her inside and stood there silently for a moment before Padme realized she was supposed to say something.

She looked pointedly at Hur and nodded, "Thank you."

He left them, Jael still standing nervously in the same place, almost rigidly, Padme thought. She stood up and went over to her; it had been a while since she had interaction with another girl her age, but not so long that it felt unnatural. She extended her hand in a friendly gesture and Jael shook it; she seemed distracted.

"Do you want to sit down?" Padme asked.

Jael looked at her absently and nodded. "Sure."

She wasn't sure who this woman who had introduced herself was, but Jael felt some relief that at least she wasn't alone in this protective detail. She didn't know the full nature of what she was supposed to do, just that she was expected to double for a dignitary and that it was not her place to ask many questions.

The girl she sat next to was approximately her size and build; the primary difference on first glance, Jael thought, was that her own brown hair was straight while the other young woman's seemed to come down in waves. They would surely resemble each other closely if wearing hooded clothing. Whoever coordinated this assignment chose wisely, she thought.

Padme looked away for a minute and felt awkward. The woman they brought seemed distant, like she had a lot on her mind. Vader was away now, and she was beginning to feel lonely. She determined she would try to know her better and put her at ease.

"Would you like something to eat?" Padme asked.

Confusion crossed the girl's features. Perhaps she has been here longer than I thought, Jael thought.

"You know what we are allowed? I'm not sure if there are designated times for mess, or sleep..."

Padme took a sharp breath; she realized the girl didn't understand she was working for her.

"No..." she said slowly. "You may eat and move about anytime you would like. I don't mind."

Jael looked up, startled. The gravity of the situation hit her; this was no other handmaiden, this was her Mistress. Quickly she bowed, hoping she was not in too much trouble. She'd not understood and been far too irreverent and rude.

"I'm so sorry...I didn't realize"

Sympathy swept over Padme, she could feel the fear in the girl. She moved to her and placed both of her hands in hers, urging her to stand.

As Jael's eyes met hers a connection was forged; somehow she knew, looking at her Mistress, that she was kind and would not hurt her. She stood straighter and relaxed.

"Thank you, Mi'lady," Jael said.

"Please," she said softly, "Call me Padme."

Padme and Vader were in their bedroom on Vjun, performing casual domestic tasks. The room was secured with oxygen; he sat on the edge of the bed in only his black lounge pants, flipping through the holonet channels. He wasn't sure if Padme watched much of the holonet when he wasn't around, but he somehow hoped she didn't. Lord Vader was often in the news and more often than not it involved the takeover of a colony or deaths of rebellion insurgents. It was a part of his job he didn't want her to see.

Padme was folding some of her clothing and placing it in the dresser. She knew that Jael would have helped her with it, but she enjoyed working and refused to have others do duties for her she wouldn't ask of herself.

Besides, Ami thought, she had seen Jael's obvious discomfort, if not fear, every time Vader returned. Padme had gotten Jael to open up to her, to the point where they could tease each other and had a friendly relationship, but it all seemed to freeze when his ship arrived. During this time Jael's preference, if given a choice, was to retreat to her personal quarters. Padme allowed her this and spent this afternoon cooking and cleaning herself.

Vader settled on an entertainment channel and glanced at Padme over his shoulder. "You needn't fold those," he said, "You could have a droid or your handmaiden..."

She threw a towel at him and it landed over his face. "Or you." she said.

He removed it and saw her grinning. At once he pounced on her and had her playfully pinned on the bed, her excited squeals and flailing the only noise in the room. He enjoyed the easy comradery they were able to share during these more domestic times; vacillating the fine line between friends and lovers.

Vader didn't hear it at first but the static from the stand to his right caught his attention the second time it sounded. It was a transmission, from the Emperor himself, waiting for Vader to open his secure end.

At once their play ended, her smile faded, and she returned to the dresser to continue her tasks. He had been enjoying their time together and if he hadn't known better would have been irritated, if not angry, that this transmission interrupted. He pressed the button to clear it and his Master's image appeared; he automatically knelt.

"Yes, Master."

Padme flinched and her jaw set when she heard that. Her back was to Vader and she was out of the Emperor's sight range. She didn't remember whether it had been her idea, Vader's, or neither, that she remain unnoticed by the Emperor and his organization in general. It didn't matter; she hated him for all he had done to the people of the Empire over the years and mostly, to her Ani.

She was unsure whether she could hold her tongue if confronted with him, and was honest enough with herself to know that the less she understood about Vader's job, the better. Power, rank, and prestige; these had never meant anything to her, not in this life or the last. All she wanted from this was her husband.

"Lord Vader" the Emperor's image hissed. "We have acquired a much anticipated alliance. Do you recall Representative Oadira, the Perlemian dignitary?"

The name was only vaguely familiar to Vader; she was a high-ranking representative of a sizeable league of mid rim trade planets. Collectively, their assistance was influential to the Empire, and gaining control would be crippling to the fledging Rebellion. "Yes," he said.

"It looks as though she is amenable to joining her league with the Empire. Without trade and economic relief, this will prove an effective obstacle to the Rebellion."

Vader felt some satisfaction that the resistance seemed to be drawing to a close.

The Emperor continued. "We need your assistance on this. You are to meet with Oadira, be her personal escort and advisor, and do whatever necessary to secure this alliance."

Vader blinked; something about the word escort that he couldn't name bothered him. But this was important and it was clear his Master was finished.

He nodded. "Yes, Master"

"Good," the Emperor stated. His transmission flickered, and then died out.

Vader dared a glance in Ami's direction and could see her back was to him and she was still handling clothing. He thought something seemed off about her. All of a sudden, he just wanted to touch her.

He got up and went over to where she was. She was arranging things in organized patterns, her eyes down and form steady. He traced his hand down the side of her arm, but for once she didn't seem to soften or respond to him. Her posture was still ramrod straight, her gaze determined.

"It looks like I have to go," he said quietly, hoping for some sign from her.

"OK." was all she said; she was still busying herself with the menial, unnecessary tasks at hand.

He stared at her for a moment, then drew her closer. Her arms automatically went around him. He whispered his love and intentions to come back soon into her hair, and she nodded. She didn't seem sad, exactly, but somehow withdrawn.

After he had gotten ready and boarded his craft, Vader remained bothered. The nature of the mission seemed strange to him, he had always been a troop on the front lines and was certainly no diplomat.

Padme hadn't let him in for once; she had put a wall up, he could feel it. As he departed, he wondered if he had done the same.

Padme heard the transmission behind her, the one that had broken the playful innocence she and Anakin had together. She knew he resented it as much as she did, she could see the irritation in his face when he looked at the holoreceiver. Then resignation crossed his features; this was a part of his job and he accepted it.

She resumed her task at hand near the other end of the room and eavesdropped. Integrity was useless, she determined growing up, when it came to overhearing conversations. If you were within earshot, and what was occurring was interesting, it was impossible to tune out, no matter how hard you tried. Sometimes trying not to hear even amplified it, so she had given up and just listened freely.

All conversations the Emperor had with Vader in her presence in the past had an underlying dark tone to them, but this one struck her as different somehow. Perhaps it was the wording, or the uniqueness of the mission. Maybe it was the tone of the Emperor's voice, with its uncharacteristic optimism. Something about this was out of the ordinary, and bothered her; she could not name it.

Padme pushed the thoughts out of her mind and rubbed her forehead tiredly. She shouldn't have taken any of this out on Vader, and wondered if she had. She looked at the holonet, then around the room, seeing nothing of particular interest to her, at least not now. She flicked off the holonet and sat on the edge of the bed where he had been with her hands clasped in her lap, staring quietly at the floor. Her loneliness, her longing for him, was already beginning to set in.

A crackling noise sounded from behind her, coming from the direction of the nightstand. Padme stood up quickly and moved to the side; it was from the Emperor. Intended for Vader, she thought, but he had already departed. The Emperor's image appeared and began to speak; whether it was live or prerecorded, she couldn't determine.

"Another thing, Lord Vader," he said. "I needn't remind you what an important alliance this is. I trust you will take care of any needs Oadira may have as well as you have in the past, particularly those of a personal nature. May the Force be with you." he said coldly, and the holo disappeared.

Padme inhaled, and felt as though cold water had been thrown on her. It was only when her emotions settled that she swallowed and sat back down on the bed. Her hands trembled. The way the Emperor had said the word personal made her sick, and she couldn't stop herself from thinking about it. What did this mean? Where was Ani going and what...was he doing? Had he done...anything like that before?

All of a sudden anger and disgust at herself set in. Beings all over the galaxy were dying every day, younglings too, and there was nothing she could or would do right now to help them. Here she was, in a protected position with all of her needs met, and she could not stop choking on the thought that Vader might be with another woman. How selfish was she becoming? And what was she doing?

Ami's mind raced with all the conflicting thoughts that went through it, and soon she paced around continuously. Her emotions rose to a panic that night as she had never experienced before, and she felt trapped within her own mind. At times she could hardly breathe.

Thinking of the past scared her, thinking of the future scared her, and she could not stop thinking.

The Emperor sat in his throne room, pleased with himself. Back when he had first created Vader, named him, he was a burned and crippled man, completely dependant upon the Emperor for everything. Lord Vader had done his job well, with anger and focus, and the Emperor had given him a great deal of control. They had a long standing alliance; the boy trusted him.

Vader did not ask the Emperor's permission when he set about repairing his body. Functionality was the Emperor's primary concern; Vader could do his job with cyberkinetic arms and legs, even if they were a discomfort.

The fact that they hindered his abilities and reminded him of what he had lost was a good thing, it kept his anger strong at Obi-Wan and his drive intact. Taking back control of his body was a step towards independence for Vader, and the Emperor was threatened by it.

Now that he had successfully rebuilt himself, even to the point where his burn damage was minimized and his original appearance restored, the Emperor was not pleased. He would never let Vader know this.

Of course, there always was a way to turn such a change around to his advantage, Palpatine thought. And in light of the emergence of the Padme clone, he had initiated his plan.

First the seeds of doubt would be planted, and then the action, followed by self-loathing, would take place. It was inevitable. It always had been.

Palpatine sent the second transmission to Vader's Vjun holoreceiver minutes after he was aware of his crafts' departure. He was also aware of who would be on the other end listening. The transmission deleted itself soon after it played.

After all, it was never intended for Vader.